Tony Parker seems to thrive on adversity. Various times this season, San Antonio Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich has called out the young player for his performance. At one point a frustrated Popovich told reporters, "Tony Parker needs to participate in his own recovery."
After that public scolding and countless private ones, Parker always seemed to lift his game. He has been yelled at, knocked down, and pushed back and yet he comes back stronger each time. It was not always so.
For the first half of the season, there were doubts about Parker in the hearts and minds of Spurs fans. After winning the championship last summer, San Antonio attempted to acquire All-Star point guard Jason Kidd. Many of the sign and trade rumors included Parker being shipped to New Jersey. Parker was not happy with the talk and went public with his frustration. That frustration mounted when Parker injured his ankle in preseason and missed the first seven games of regular campaign.
When Parker returned to the court, he seemed to lag. Fans complained that his time with the French National Team during the summer took too much out of the 21-year-old. The frustration seemed to mount daily. As Parker went, so went the Spurs. They limped out of January with a 9-8 record and started out on their now-annual rodeo road trip. Last year, that trip galvanized San Antonio on their way to the title. It would prove to have the same effect, particularly on Parker.
As we all know when Parker scores 20 points or more, the Spurs usually win. This season, San Antonio was 9-3 in such games. Of those 12 games, eight of them came after January. When Parker does that, the Spurs usually benefit with a win.
The playoffs have proved to be no exception. In the Spurs first round sweep of the Memphis Grizzlies, Parker averaged 21.0 points and 8.5 assists and equaled his career high of 29 points in Game 4 to close out the series. In that game, Parker also dished out a career playoff high 13 assists. The adversity? Memphis' James Posey flattened Parker, no foul was called and Parker lay on the court for a bit before the game was stopped to check on his condition.
The Spurs will meet the Lakers in the second round of the playoffs starting Sunday and Parker will again be an integral part of San Antonio's success. Currently riding a 15-game winning streak, the execution of the pick and roll is what has carried the Spurs throughout. Parker and Tim Duncan have been putting on a clinic since March and that is what will be needed to get past L.A. and through the playoffs. The match up will also present the opportunity for a playoff rematch between Parker and Lakers point guard Gary Payton.
Two seasons ago Parker, then a rookie, had surprising success against his veteran counterpart. Payton admitted, albeit grudgingly, that Parker was better than advertised. The two were virtually even this season with Parker averaging 20 points and Payton 18 with both handing out 5 assists.
Parker is on the road to being the second star San Antonio has craved. Considered the steal of the 2001 Draft, he has equally tantalized and tortured the silver and black faithful. Case in point, on February 28, Parker tied his career high with 29 points in a win over Denver. Two nights later, he only managed three in a loss to Memphis. In last year's Finals, talk was centered on Kidd coming to town and Parker responded by being outplayed. In the pivotal game 4 and clinching game 6, Parker scored a grand total of seven points and was replaced in the fourth quarter of each game by Speedy Claxton.
The Spurs know that Duncan will get his and the defense will be there. If Parker can keep improving his game to go along with the model of consistency that is Duncan, the Spurs will repeat as champions. They will have overcome injuries and the meshing of new players into their system to again sail down the Riverwalk with the Larry O'Brien trophy. A key ingredient to success is overcoming adversity, to do so the Spurs need look no further than their point guard. Parker can lead by example, and in doing so; lead his team to another title.
